Electronic compression and rebound control

Abstract

An electronic valve assembly for a vehicle suspension damper is described in which a first electronic valve is disposed along a fluid flow path extending between a compression region of a damping cylinder and a fluid reservoir chamber. The first electronic valve controls flow of fluid from the compression region into the fluid reservoir chamber. A second electronic valve is disposed along a fluid flow path extending between a rebound region of the damping cylinder and the compression region. The second electronic valve controls flow of fluid from the rebound region into the compression. The first electronic valve does not reside in the fluid flow path extending from the rebound region into the compression region, and the second electronic valve does not reside in the fluid flow path extending from the compression region into the fluid reservoir chamber.

I claim: 
     
       1. An electronic valve assembly for a vehicle suspension damper, said electronic valve assembly comprising:
 a first electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between a compression region of a damping cylinder and a fluid reservoir chamber, said first electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said compression region of said damping cylinder into said fluid reservoir chamber; 
 a second electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between a rebound region of said damping cylinder and said compression region of said damping cylinder, said second electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said rebound region of said damping cylinder into said compression region of said damping cylinder; and 
 wherein a first distance between said first electronic valve and said damping cylinder is greater than a second distance between said second electronic valve and said damping cylinder. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein, said first electronic valve and said second electronic valve are disposed such that said first electronic valve does not reside in said fluid flow path extending from said rebound region of said damping cylinder into said compression region of said damping cylinder, and said second electronic valve does not reside in said fluid flow path extending from said compression region of said damping cylinder into said fluid reservoir chamber. 
     
     
       3. The electronic valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first electronic valve controls flow of fluid displaced by a piston shaft as said fluid displaced by said piston shaft flows from said compression region of said damping cylinder into said fluid reservoir chamber. 
     
     
       4. The electronic valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first electronic valve is configured to control flow of fluid from said fluid reservoir chamber to said compression region of said damping cylinder. 
     
     
       5. The electronic valve assembly of  claim 4  wherein said second electronic valve does not reside in a fluid flow path extending from said fluid reservoir chamber to said compression region of said damping cylinder. 
     
     
       6. The electronic valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first electronic valve and said second electronic valve can be operated independently of each other. 
     
     
       7. A system for controlling vehicle motion, said system comprising:
 a sensor coupled with a vehicle, said sensor sensing said vehicle motion; and 
 a vehicle suspension damper coupled with said sensor, said vehicle suspension damper adjusting a damping force therein, said vehicle suspension damper comprising:
 a damping cylinder; 
 a damping piston movable within said damping cylinder; 
 a compression region at least partially defined by said damping piston; 
 a rebound region at least partially defined by said damping piston; 
 a fluid reservoir chamber fluidically coupled to said damping cylinder; and 
 electronic valve assembly coupled with said sensor, said electronic valve assembly comprising:
 a first electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between said compression region and said fluid reservoir chamber, said first electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said compression region into said fluid reservoir chamber; 
 a second electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between said rebound region and said compression region, said second electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said rebound region into said compression region; and 
 wherein a first distance between said first electronic valve and said damping cylinder is greater than a second distance between said second electronic valve and said damping cylinder. 
 
 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic valve assembly of  claim 7  wherein, said first electronic valve and said second electronic valve are disposed such that said first electronic valve does not reside in said fluid flow path extending from said rebound region into said compression region, and said second electronic valve does not reside in said fluid flow path extending from said compression region into said fluid reservoir chamber. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7  wherein said first electronic valve controls flow of fluid displaced by a piston shaft as said fluid displaced by said piston shaft flows from said compression region into said fluid reservoir chamber. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 7  wherein said first electronic valve is configured to control flow of fluid from said fluid reservoir chamber to said compression region. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  wherein said second electronic valve does not reside in a fluid flow path extending from said fluid reservoir chamber to said compression region. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 7  wherein said first electronic valve and said second electronic valve can be operated independently of each other. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12  wherein independent operation of said first electronic valve and said second electronic provides independent control of compression and rebound damping of said vehicle suspension damper. 
     
     
       14. A system for providing independent control of compression and rebound damping of a vehicle suspension damper, said system comprising:
 a sensor coupled with a vehicle, said sensor sensing motion of said vehicle; and 
 a vehicle suspension damper, said vehicle suspension damper configured to adjust a damping force therein, said vehicle suspension damper comprising:
 a damping cylinder; 
 a damping piston movable within said damping cylinder; 
 a compression region at least partially defined by said damping piston; 
 a rebound region at least partially defined by said damping piston; 
 a fluid reservoir chamber fluidically coupled to said damping cylinder; and 
 electronic valve assembly coupled with said sensor, said electronic valve assembly comprising:
 a first electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between said compression region and said fluid reservoir chamber, said first electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said compression region into said fluid reservoir chamber; 
 a second electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between said rebound region and said compression region, said second electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said rebound region into said compression region, said first electronic valve and said second electronic valve operable independently of each other; and 
 wherein a first distance between said first electronic valve and said damping cylinder is greater than a second distance between said second electronic valve and said damping cylinder such that independent control of said compression and rebound damping of said vehicle suspension damper is possible. 
 
 
 
     
     
       15. The electronic valve assembly of  claim 14  wherein, said first electronic valve and said second electronic valve are disposed such that said first electronic valve does not reside in said fluid flow path extending from said rebound region into said compression region, and said second electronic valve does not reside in said fluid flow path extending from said compression region into said fluid reservoir chamber. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14  wherein said first electronic valve controls flow of fluid displaced by a piston shaft as said fluid displaced by said piston shaft flows from said compression region into said fluid reservoir chamber. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 14  wherein said first electronic valve is configured to control flow of fluid from said fluid reservoir chamber to said compression region. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17  wherein said second electronic valve does not reside in a fluid flow path extending from said fluid reservoir chamber to said compression region. 
     
     
       19. An electronic valve assembly for a vehicle suspension damper, said electronic valve assembly comprising:
 a first electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between a compression region of a damping cylinder and a fluid reservoir chamber, said first electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said compression region of said damping cylinder into said fluid reservoir chamber, said first electronic valve including a valve piston; 
 a second electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between a rebound region of said damping cylinder and said compression region of said damping cylinder, said second electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said rebound region of said damping cylinder into said compression region of said damping cylinder; and 
 wherein a first distance between said first electronic valve and said damping cylinder is greater than a second distance between said second electronic valve and said damping cylinder. 
 
     
     
       20. The electronic valve assembly of  claim 19  wherein, said first electronic valve and said second electronic valve are disposed such that fluid flowing along said flow path extending from said rebound region of said damping cylinder into said compression region of said damping cylinder does not flow through said valve piston of said first electronic valve. 
     
     
       21. An electronic valve assembly for a vehicle suspension damper, said electronic valve assembly comprising:
 a first electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between a compression region of a damping cylinder and a fluid reservoir chamber, said first electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said compression region of said damping cylinder into said fluid reservoir chamber; 
 a second electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between a rebound region of said damping cylinder and said compression region of said damping cylinder, said second electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said rebound region of said damping cylinder into said compression region of said damping cylinder, said second electronic valve including a valve piston; and 
 wherein a first distance between said first electronic valve and said damping cylinder is greater than a second distance between said second electronic valve and said damping cylinder. 
 
     
     
       22. The electronic valve assembly of  claim 21  wherein, said first electronic valve and said second electronic valve are disposed such that fluid flowing along said flow path extending from said compression region of said damping cylinder into said fluid reservoir chamber does not flow through said valve piston of said second electronic valve. 
     
     
       23. An electronic valve assembly for a vehicle suspension damper, said electronic valve assembly comprising:
 a first electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between a compression region of a damping cylinder and a fluid reservoir chamber, said first electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said compression region of said damping cylinder into said fluid reservoir chamber, said first electronic valve including a valve piston; 
 a second electronic valve disposed along a fluid flow path extending between a rebound region of said damping cylinder and said compression region of said damping cylinder, said second electronic valve configured to control flow of fluid from said rebound region of said damping cylinder into said compression region of said damping cylinder chamber, said second electronic valve including a valve piston; and 
 wherein a first distance between said first electronic valve and said damping cylinder is greater than a second distance between said second electronic valve and said damping cylinder. 
 
     
     
       24. The electronic valve assembly of  claim 23  wherein, said first electronic valve and said second electronic valve are disposed such that fluid flowing along a flow path extending from said fluid reservoir chamber to said compression region of said damping cylinder does not flow through said valve piston of said second electronic valve. 
     
     
       25. An electronic valve assembly for a vehicle suspension damper, said electronic valve assembly comprising:
 a first electronic valve including a valve piston, said first electronic valve fluidically coupled to a reservoir chamber of said vehicle suspension damper; 
 a second electronic valve including a valve piston, wherein said second electronic valve is offset from said first electronic valve such that a distance of valve piston of said first electronic valve from a damping cylinder of said vehicle suspension damper is greater than a distance of said valve piston of said second electronic valve from said damping cylinder; 
 a channel disposed between said first electronic valve and said second electronic valve, said channel located such that a distance of said valve piston of said first electronic valve from said damping cylinder is greater than a distance of said channel from said damping cylinder; 
 a first fluid flow path including said first electronic valve; and 
 a second fluid flow path including said second electronic valve and said channel, wherein fluid is limited to flowing in said second fluid flow path during rebound.